Martha Stewart Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Martha Stewart braised chicken with butternut squash and cranberries is an easy one-pot dinner made with crisp-skinned chicken, sweet squash and dried cranberries, ready in 65 minutes. It's an easy fall chicken dinner for weeknight suppers, Sunday dinner or Thanksgiving week, and it's cooked in a single Dutch oven.

Brown the chicken skin side down until it turns golden and crisp, then keep the skin above the liquid while it simmers. Bury it in the broth and the skin goes soft and pale instead of staying crisp.

Martha stirs flour, coriander and nutmeg into the softened squash and onion before any broth goes in, so the sauce thickens on its own as it simmers. Cutting half the squash into 1-inch pieces also leaves the other half free for a second meal later in the week.

Martha Stewart Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

480

kcal

Chicken leg quarters brown in a Dutch oven, then simmer on a bed of squash and red onion until the sauce turns spiced and glossy. The skin stays crisp above the broth while the squash softens underneath.

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (3 pounds), peeled, halved, and seeded
  

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 4 chicken leg quarters (2 ½ pounds total), split into drumsticks and thighs
  

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  

• 1 red onion, cut into ½-inch wedges
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  

• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  

• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  

Directions

• Cut the squash: Cut half of the peeled and seeded butternut squash into 1-inch pieces and set them aside. Cut the remaining squash into 1/2-inch pieces and refrigerate them for a later soup, so nothing goes to waste.
• Brown the chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high, then season the chicken with salt and pepper. Cook it skin side down in two batches for about 5 minutes per batch, until golden and crisp. Then move it to a plate and pour off the fat.
• Soften the vegetables: Add 1 tablespoon oil, the 1-inch squash pieces and the red onion wedges to the pot. Cook them for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften.
• Toast the spices: Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped sage, 4 teaspoons flour, 2 teaspoons coriander and 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture smells fragrant.
• Deglaze with broth: Pour in 2 cups chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. One minute of stirring is enough to lift them into the sauce.
• Simmer the braise: Nestle the chicken skin side up in the squash mixture, add 1/2 cup dried cranberries and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 6-quart enameled Dutch oven, John Boos maple cutting board, 18 x 12, OXO wooden spoon set, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make extra squash ahead for another meal?

Martha suggests cutting extra squash into 1/2-inch pieces and storing them in an airtight container in the fridge. That way you can pull together her Butternut Squash Soup with Shrimp later in the week without more prep.

What should I serve with braised chicken and butternut squash?

Her headnote suggests couscous, which soaks up the spiced broth well. Rice or a crusty loaf of bread would also catch the sauce.

Can I use boneless chicken instead of leg quarters?

Bone-in thighs are the closest swap, since they stay juicy through the 20 to 25 minute simmer. Boneless breasts dry out quickly, so check them after about 15 minutes if you use them.

How do I store and reheat the leftovers?

Cool the chicken and sauce, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pot over low heat, and the skin will be softer than on the first night.

What's the most common mistake with this dish?

Crowding the pot when browning the chicken is the usual problem. Cook it in two batches as the recipe says, because crowded pieces steam instead of crisping.